The Globetrotters: Dowerin to Perenjori

Friday, 26 August 2022

Dowerin to Perenjori

Friday 26 August 2022

Day 12
Dowerin to Perenjori

Early in the morning we take a few photos of the camp and a few together with Neville. Also a picture of a cute little flower. Then we set off on the road towards Carnamah.

At Kondut, along the roadside, we stop for morning tea. Here I take pictures of the first few wildflowers that we are seeing and probably the wild version of the canola flowers of which we see endless fields. Kevin looks terrific in the middle of all these yellow flowers! We also see the wattles in flower everywhere.

Shallow lakes everywhere. Sometimes it looks like we are driving through the wetlands.

Near Bunjil we are starting to see more and more wildflowers. The roads are lined with these colourful clumps of flowers and low bushes.

But wait. There is more .... ;-) And the wattle is out in full bloom. The perfume is beautiful, almost overpowering.

And then we finally reach Carnamah, one of the reasons for us to come to Western Australia. Kevin was born in WA and lived in Carnamah from 1946 till 1953. His father, Norm, was the baker of the town and his mother, Lily, worked in the shop.

Upon arrival we have lunch first and then walk the main street: McPherson Street. On the right hand side is a small museum which we visit and where Kevin talks with a local.

We find some exhibitions related to Kevin and his family. First of all a picture of his mother, Lily Haynes, as part of the Carnamah Badminton Team in 1948. Followed by Kevin's Scouting membership card. We also find part of the oven of Kevin's dad's bakery, his and Lily's names listed as one of the bakers in town who used the oven: NJ & LE Haynes (1946-53). And next the big scales that used to stand in front of the post office and on which Kevin often stood to weigh himself when he was a child.

Following are the three buildings, next to each other, which are now heritage listed. The building on the right was a restaurant in Kevin's time. The one in the centre was the bakery, now an accountancy business, and the one on the left was used by a cousin for dressmaking.

We walk into the old bakery and have a chat with the accountant and his wife. They show us through the building and Kevin stands in the doorway of his old bedroom!

the museum

We finally leave Carnamah and drive via the Three Springs Talc Mine to the Talc Mine Lookout.

From there we drive around, seemingly aimlessly, to try and find the elusive wreath flowers (kransbloemen). After visiting Carnamah our next important mission. It takes a lot of driving around, but we finally see them on the roadside, together with lots of other wildflowers. Of course I went wild with my camera!